Learn Early
by Rolling Red Rat
Summary: A Nara loses everything. He decides to go back to Konoha, hoping he doesn’t run into his father while seeking refuge with his clan. Although, it doesn’t hurt that he gets to do what he’s good at... infuriating people he’s never seen before, protecting his poor kitty, and, of course, being a (questionable) badass.


AN: I'm working on my other story, but I also couldn't help making this one. It's a little less... weird, but still has a really heavy AU. That's kind of my thing, I guess.

Warnings: Minor Violence, Language, Dark-ish Themes?

Obligatory Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I _do _own crazy.

•AVAVA•

I was born to a Nara recluse; a particularly apathetic woman with big, blank eyes that always seemed to flicker from celadon to tea whenever she looked my way.

I asked her about it once, and she 'ranted' (as much as her apathy allows) about how she is always reminded of my 'whore of a father' when she looks at me, but also how she's cursed with loving someone who looks like him.

"_At least you have my face... and my eyes_." She had said once. "_Your 'windows to the soul' are clear of coal_."

She had a way with words, always sharing her philosophical musings (that I only half understood at the time) in the rare moments she decided to clean.

The last time she imparted with a piece of her vast wisdom, skillful rogue ninja with financial issues decapitated her. Right... in front of my eyes.

"..._the only reason I ever found to live is emotion, but you can't experience emotions if you don't live... do whatever it takes to stay on this Earth, no matter the cost. You'll find a way to live with your emotions... even if the cost is steep. Humans can adapt to anything, if given enough time_..."

She smiled then. The only time I have ever seen her smile was a second before the axe split her head from her body, just after she talked about things that she never seemed to feel.

I was confused then. So very, very confused.

But I listened, and I lived.

Lived to finally understand what she said, and to understand why she never smiled.

Her heart was the kind of bitter that comes with the weight of wisdom, the kind that never lets you forget how empty it all is. The kind that realizes that the emptiness shouldn't really matter, but knows that it's there and can't stop thinking about it.

Perhaps it would be best to forget the philosophical gibberish, meaningless musings that no one should have the misfortune of understanding, but it's too late for that now.

The old me was naive, but not in the way a child should have been, normality running further away as I ingrained every lesson into my very being. At least some of those lessons were useful, saving me when I was a chicken with my... head cut off.

Instinct kicked in and I ended up running away from my mother's killers. I didn't really know what to do, but I knew I had to do _something_ or I would end up dead- killing her dying wish with me. I didn't know which way any of the villages were, and my mind was still reeling from the... _incident_.

Fortunately, after wandering aimlessly for a few hours, I stumbled across an unassuming, open-looking traveling merchant, whom I scouted and proceeded to take advantage of.

"Sir..." I rasped, collapsing in front of him. "Any... near towns?"

He looked at me in shock, a sort of worried, kind look on his unusually plain features.

"I wouldn't worry about it right this moment, kid!" He ran up to me, crouching down and taking a water bottle from his filthy backpack.

I reached out weakly, dropping it as soon as he let go.

"Here, kid." He frowned, holding the bottle for me as I drank slowly. "We'll get you rested up first, but we're just a few days from Konoha. I can take you there, if you'd like."

"No... thanks." I breathed, wiping the dribbling water from my chin. "You seem... nice, but I need to do this... alone."

His eyes darkened for but a moment, and would have escaped my attention had I not been looking for it. "Why d'ya need to do that, kid?"

"They are... more likely... to let me in."

"Well, I s'pose they will be- you're a lone youngster, but you're in no condition-"

"I appreciate it, _sir_." I spoke as calmly as I could, spitting out the water and slipping around him while holding a kunai to his throat. "Yet, I really _don't_ need the burden."

"B-but... you-"

"Were weakened? That's not important. You should be more concerned about the thugs you hired. You have noticed that they're... a bit _late_, right?"

His eyes widened to a comical size, a bead of sweat rolling down his greasy forehead.

"Wh-what... do you want?"

I chuckle, tapping the blade against his neck.

"Do I really need to tell a deadman such a _personal_ thing?"

"D-dead... wait! I..."

"You... what?" I sigh impatiently, pressing the kunai farther into his neck but careful to avoid drawing blood.

"I have money! It's buried near-"

"Trap."

"N-no! Uh, I can..."

"...you can?"

"Uh..."

"You really can't think of _any_ way to be of use, even in your last moments?"

"L-last-"

"Ah, never mind that. Hmm... how can an idiot like you be useful...? Well, I suppose your poker face isn't so bad... and, there's a fair amount of muscle involved in hefting a backpack like that... a dead child is even heavier than a live one, after all. But... how can you help _me_?"

"I-" his eyes light up. "I can tell my boss to leave you alone! I'll send 'im a message, say-"

"Now you know why you're still awake."

"Uh..."

I sigh heavily, rubbing a hand across my face.

"It's not a question, don't bother wasting those precious few brain cells."

I rifle through my backpack, taking my knife away and carefully retrieving the precious bottle of green liquid out of my smallest pocket.

"Here you go." I smile cheerily, rubbing some of it beneath his nose and watching his eyes close against his will. "Amateur."

I drag him off of the road, relatively near the pile of unconscious men.

It might have been dangerous, but I needed the supplies, and they were very clearly novices... even so, I thought about what I just did. How unlike me it was.

I scrounge through the thugs' belongings while I'm resting, counting my lucky stars when I find a couple tattered maps and some food among them. One of them has an intact mask, which fits my own face well enough. I can't very well go around with my face exposed right now... not with _them _out there.

Konoha is the closest village, of course. Mother may have hated my father, but never knew a more capable and reliable ninja. She wasn't petty enough to dismiss the value in having someone like that close by, someone who wouldn't ask questions and knew of her intelligence. At the very least, Konoha is a hotspot for skilled ninja, and is rumoured to have the strongest military power in all of the Five Great Nations.

Not like she ever bothered to tell me the way, but that doesn't matter now.

I suppose it's time I visited the Nara clan, after seven long years.

It's not like the infamous 'Jiraiya of the Sannin' would welcome an accident like me with open arms.

•AVAVA•

"Izumo!" A guard at the gate chirped excitedly. "Look!"

The other guard humoured him, but clearly found more than he expected from how his eyes widened.

"Did Jiraiya..." My eyebrows furrow at the name as I retrieve mother's Nara identification card, trying not to lose any of the contents of my overstuffed pocket.

"I'm here to request assistance from the Nara clan. I... no longer have a guardian." I tell the man quietly, the grief leaking through despite my best efforts.

Even with my peculiar nature, her death is still fresh in my mind, weighing it down with the memory of lifeless eyes and a fleeting smile.

"Sorry for your loss." They say in unison, the one named Izumo gently taking the card from my outstretched hand. "This is genuine. Come with me, Nara. We will bring you to the Clan Head... he will want to know."

I nod, adjusting my heavy backpack and following him into Konoha.

As someone from a small town, the amount of people is unsettling. So many potential enemies, a ridiculous amount of noise, and strong smells invading my nose. it's like my worst nightmare.

Second to the one that already happened, of course.

•AVAVA•

With aching feet and paranoia aplenty, I finally arrive at the Nara's office, knocking on the door softly.

"Can it wait?" A voice asks from inside, sounding almost as tired and uncaring as my mother's used to.

"Apologies, sir, but this is _quite_ important." The professional one replies stoically.

"Fine."

The door opens, treating me to the view of a stuffy, cluttered room with important papers scattered to and fro.

"Sir. Mari Nara's child is here to report her-"

"Izumo! Be a little more sensitive. The kid's been through a lot, and she was the Head's _cousin_!" Whisper-shouts the guard who's name still eludes me, smacking his partner upside the head.

"She's deceased?" The Head's face falls at the news. "I always thought she would outlive..."

His voice fades, the guards respectfully giving him time to process. A heavy, deafening silence encompasses the room, my feet nervously shuffling against my will.

"...if Mari's son requires housing, I am more than willing to make arrangements. My sister has been looking to adopt recently, I'm sure she will be delighted to take you in."

"Thank you very much, sir." I bow, discreetly looking to the guards for some kind of guidance.

I don't have much to go on. My social skills are limited to basic lessons in manners, my late mother, and a single friend who really only talked about animals.

"Kotetsu, take him to her. Unfortunately, this report cannot wait. Izumo, stay here. I have a few things for you to take to the Hokage Tower, since you're so conveniently available." He commands, holding out a stack of papers and dismissing us with a nod.

I sigh, shifting my weight from one sore foot to the other. "Back into the wild we go..."

•AVAVA•

"Oh, hi! Wow, look at you! Oh, I'm sorry... I'm being insensitive. I'm really sorry for your loss, Mari was a great Chūnin and a reliable person when things got hairy... yeah, I didn't know her as well as my brother did, but when I looked at her, all I could think was 'badass'." Aneko Nara rants more than anyone I've met in my entire life, and does it loudly.

"'Mam, it's alright. Honestly, I'd rather not talk about it..." I tell her quietly, trying to get her to adjust to my volume.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Alright, well, let's get you inside, I'll show you to your room..."

Nope, didn't work.

She babbles along as she brings me down a hallway, sliding open a traditional door to reveal a calming room filled with soft greys and greens. "So! Here it is! What d'ya think?"

I _think_ she's too loud, but... "this is a nice room." I give her a small smile, walking in and looking out of the window to watch the lazy river and the lazier deer.

"Great! Well, I'll let you get settled, bet you've got some stuff to unpack. Just remember, this is your home now!" She exclaims, slamming the door shut and running back down the hall.

I stare out into the familiar wilderness, the scenery overlaid by flashes of an apathetic woman tending to the garden.

"My... home."

It... could be, someday.

•AVAVA•

"You're a little late for the academy... but, if you're sure you wanna be a Shinobi, I won't stop you." Aneko smiles gently, patting my head like I'm some kind of stray puppy.

"...mother taught me more than enough." I use a tug of chakra on a side table, a perfectly executed Kawarimi.

"Nice!" She claps, slapping me on the back as I reverse the jutsu. "Guess I had nothin' to worry 'bout! You know the other two, right?"

I stare at her, blinking. "Other... two?"

"You know, the three basic academy jutsu! Clone jutsu, Kawarimi, and Henge."

"Ah, of course. She didn't tell me much about the village..." I mutter awkwardly, leaning against the wall.

"Oh, right! I forgot about that! But don't worry, it's not that important. I bet everyone'll be begging to be your friend with that cool attitude!"

Cool... attitude? What?

"Uh... I wasn't exactly worried, but thanks?"

"See! Gosh, I'm already so jealous of you!" She squeals, tackling me in a suffocating bear hug. "Let's get you to the Academy!"

"Pl-ease... le-t... go..." I cough, feeling my ribs creak.

"Oh, sorry! Guess I got a little excited..." she pulls back and chuckles sheepishly, scratching the back of her head as I gasp for breath.

How is _this_ even a Nara?!

"Alright, follow me!" She shouts happily, walking out without even looking back to see if I actually follow.

I sigh, acquiescing to her strange habits and letting her lead me to the Konoha Academy. I avoid the people on the streets as much as possible, dodging and weaving and grinning despite my discomfort. I've heard that angry-looking people tend to get picked on first.

"So this is it." I mutter, a bit intimidated when I look up at the large building. "My village was nothing like this..."

She smiles reassuringly, patting me on the back a little harder than necessary. "It's fine, the school doesn't bite! Though, I don't know about the children..."

"Thanks for the reassurance." I reply dryly, taking a deep breath and walking inside.

The inside is spacious, holding a record of seven potted plants in the single room. The woman behind the reception desk has an openly kind face, perfect for indoctrinating young and impressionable minds.

I know how this patriotic village works, no matter how hard they try to hide it.

"Hello. Are you a student here? I don't think I've seen you before." She greets, a practiced smile plastered on her face like cheap makeup.

"Nah. He's here to join up. He was bein' taught in another village... but, he had to move, so he's enrolling late. You okay with that?" Her sharp gaze contrasts with her pleasant tone, giving off a completely different vibe from the cheery meathead I had thought her to be not long ago.

"Oh... of course! Yes, I'll just need you to take the test, fill out a few forms... you know the drill." The woman chuckles nervously, fishing a few papers from her desk and handing them over.

The simple questions aren't a test of skill, but rather a test of patriotism, and I know just how to answer them. The forms are the typical it's-not-my-fault-if-you-hurt-yourself kind, but I read through it all anyways, pleasantly surprised when I find them with no intentions to sell my organs or experiment on me.

I pass the papers back to the receptionist without a word, waiting patiently as she scans them over. "Well, kid, you're in!" She exclaims, handing me a note for the teacher and giving me directions to my classroom.

I take a deep breath in front of the door, opening it slowly and calmly as I finally find myself adapting to the busy environment.

I pass the note to the curious teacher, leaning against the wall while he reads it carefully. "Alright class, this is you're new classmate. He'll be joining us from now on, so... be nice?" The hesitancy at the end has me sighing. "Would you like to introduce yourself?"

"Not really." I drawl, arms crossed.

The teacher blinks, his eyebrow twitching as he mumbles irritably. "_Can you please _introduce yourself?"

"I can." I reply airily, deciding to have some fun while I'm here.

"...you know what? Go sit over there."

He points to a spot beside a feral looking boy with elongated canines, seemingly choosing my seat out of spite. I shrug in that 'why not?' kind of way, waving to my neighbour casually as I sit down.

"Okay, now that that's over with..."

•AVAVA•

At lunch, the canine boy confronts me, snarling like a dog.

I sigh, just wanting to enjoy the fluffy cumulus clouds and sit in my chosen tree, the only thing I can call familiar here.

"Hey! Get down here, you cocky bas-"

"Kiba, is this necessary?" A boy with shaded goggles asks from beside him, his tone completely neutral.

"Of course it is, just look at him! He thinks he's all that and a bag of chips!" Kiba scowls angrily, his hands clenching into fists.

"Kiba, I don't think-"

"C'mon, man! Just trust me on this one!"

The smart one backs off, going to back to the anthill he had been observing earlier.

"Hey, bastard! Get down here already and fight me!"

I blink, looking down hesitantly from the fluffy marvels of the sky. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Kiba growls, his stance getting lower as he gets angrier. "I said, come down and _fight me!_"

"...why?" I ask him, pure confusion in my calm voice.

"..._Agh, _I can't _stand_ you!" He spits, stomping away with pure disgust and going to discuss something (likely me) with his friends.

Something tells me he would have kept demanding a fight if he didn't dislike me so much... which is weird, because normally it would be the other way around.

Oh well, it's not like I'll ever understand how a guy like that thinks.

Messing with him is fun, I decide. Just a few words have made him hold a ridiculously deep disdain for me.

I wonder how many words it'll take to make the disdain hit rock bottom.

Maybe I've been a little more sadistic than usual lately... but I can't help it. Ever since I came here, I've felt a pressure disappear.

Initially, I felt claustrophobic, but with that disappearing so fast, it's really starting to feel like... I've shed invisible shackles?

All I can think, is that I'm... _free_.


End file.
